Alcatel, Marubeni seal $20m contract

Alcatel, Marubeni seal $20m contract

BANDUNG, West Java (JP): The state-owned domestic
telecommunications operator PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom)
has signed a US$20 million contract for the country's first
digital microwave project with Alcatel of France and Marubeni of
Japan.

The contract was signed by Telkom's president, Setyanto P.
Santosa, the sales of director of Asia Alcatel Telspace, Alain
Lasman, regional director of international division (Asia) of
Alcatel CIT, Jean Pierre Joly, and Marubeni's information network
director, Tetsuya Yanagi, here on Wednesday evening.

Alcatel Telspace will be responsible for the supply,
installation and commissioning of a 1,500 synchronous digital
hierarchy (SDH) digital microwave transmission backbone in areas
between Banda Aceh in Aceh and Palembang in South Sumatra.

"The project will cover 59 locations, including 29 repeater
stations and 30 terminal stations. The project will be completed
within 24 months," Setyanto said.

He said that in the turnkey contract, to be financed by the
Asian Development Bank, Alcatel CIT, the telephone unit of the
French Alcatel Alsthom, will supply the network management
system, while Marubeni will take charge of the towers and the
civil works.

Setyanto said that Telkom will return the 20-year loan to ABD
with its own investment.

The installation of the radio links will be performed by PT
Alcatel Enkomindo, a join venture created by Alcatel and
Bimantara Group of Indonesia, in order to provide custom-tailored
services for the country's telecommunications market.

The project will also involve eight local contractors in the
construction of the towers. (pet/icn)